How to Migrate Managed Metadata from SharePoint On-Premise to SharePoint Online

Migrating managed metadata from SharePoint On-Premise to SharePoint Online can be a complex process, but it is a necessary step for organizations transitioning to the cloud. Managed metadata is crucial for content classification and retrieval, and ensuring its accurate migration is vital for maintaining the integrity of your SharePoint environment. In this article, we will walk through the steps required to successfully migrate managed metadata from SharePoint On-Premise to SharePoint Online.

1. Understanding Managed Metadata

Managed metadata in SharePoint includes terms, term sets, and term groups that are used to tag and classify content. Before initiating the migration, it is essential to have a clear understanding of the existing metadata structure in your on-premise environment.

Key Components:

- Term Store: A centralized repository of terms.

- Term Groups: Collections of term sets.

- Term Sets: Collections of related terms.

- Terms: Individual items within a term set.

2. Pre-Migration Assessment

A thorough pre-migration assessment is critical to identify the scope of the migration and any potential issues. This includes:

- Inventory of Term Store: Document all term groups, term sets, and terms.

- Usage Analysis: Identify where and how managed metadata is being used across the SharePoint environment.

- Dependencies: Check for any dependencies or custom solutions relying on managed metadata.

3. Exporting Managed Metadata

Exporting managed metadata from SharePoint On-Premise involves using PowerShell scripts to extract the term store data.

Steps to Export:

1. Open SharePoint Management Shell: Ensure you have the necessary permissions.

2. Run PowerShell Script: Use a script to export term store data to a CSV file.

Example Script:

Add-PSSnapin Microsoft.SharePoint.PowerShell

$termStore = Get-SPTaxonomySession -Site "https://yoursharepointsite" | Get-SPTaxonomyTermStore

$termGroups = $termStore.Groups

$termGroups | ForEach-Object {

    $group = $_

    $termSets = $group.TermSets

    $termSets | ForEach-Object {

        $termSet = $_

        $terms = $termSet.Terms

        $terms | ForEach-Object {

            $term = $_

            $termExport = New-Object PSObject -Property @{

                GroupName = $group.Name

                TermSetName = $termSet.Name

                TermName = $term.Name

                TermPath = $term.PathOfTerm

            }

            $termExport | Export-Csv -Path "C:\ExportedTerms.csv" -Append -NoTypeInformation

        }

    }

}        

4. Preparing SharePoint Online

Before importing the metadata, ensure that your SharePoint Online environment is ready. This involves creating a term store and setting up term groups and term sets if they do not already exist.

Steps to Prepare:

1. Access Term Store Management Tool: Navigate to the SharePoint admin center.

2. Create Term Groups and Term Sets: Mirror the structure from your on-premise environment.

5. Importing Managed Metadata

Importing the exported metadata to SharePoint Online can also be done using PowerShell.

Steps to Import:

1. Connect to SharePoint Online: Use the SharePoint Online Management Shell.

2. Run PowerShell Script: Use a script to import the CSV data into the SharePoint Online term store.

Example Script:

Connect-PnPOnline -Url "https://yourtenant-admin.sharepoint.com" -Credentials (Get-Credential)

$csv = Import-Csv -Path "C:\ExportedTerms.csv"

$csv | ForEach-Object {

    $groupName = $_.GroupName

    $termSetName = $_.TermSetName

    $termName = $_.TermName

    $termPath = $_.TermPath

    $group = Get-PnPTermGroup -Identity $groupName

    if ($null -eq $group) {

        $group = New-PnPTermGroup -Name $groupName

    }

    $termSet = Get-PnPTermSet -TermGroup $group -Identity $termSetName

    if ($null -eq $termSet) {

        $termSet = New-PnPTermSet -Name $termSetName -TermGroup $group

    }

    $parentTerm = $null

    $termPath.Split('|') | ForEach-Object {

        $termLabel = $_

        $term = Get-PnPTerm -TermSet $termSet -TermGroup $group -Identity $termLabel -ParentTerm $parentTerm

        if ($null -eq $term) {

            $term = New-PnPTerm -Name $termLabel -TermSet $termSet -TermGroup $group -ParentTerm $parentTerm

        }

        $parentTerm = $term

    }

}        

6. Validating the Migration

Post-migration validation ensures that all terms, term sets, and term groups have been correctly migrated and are functioning as expected.

Steps to Validate:

1. Check Term Store: Verify the structure and content in the SharePoint Online term store.

2. Test Metadata Fields: Ensure that metadata fields in libraries and lists are correctly referencing the migrated terms.

3. Review Permissions: Ensure that term store administrators and other permissions are correctly set.

7. Updating Workflows and Custom Solutions

Any workflows or custom solutions that rely on managed metadata need to be updated to point to the new SharePoint Online term store.

Key Actions:

- Update References: Ensure that all references to term sets and terms in workflows are updated.

- Test Solutions: Validate that custom solutions are functioning correctly with the new metadata.

Summary

Migrating managed metadata from SharePoint On-Premise to SharePoint Online requires careful planning and execution. By following these steps, you can ensure a smooth transition and maintain the integrity of your metadata. Properly migrated managed metadata will continue to support your content classification and retrieval needs, enabling a seamless move to the cloud.